BROOKLYN, N.Y., October 27, 2019 – The No. 12-ranked Monroe College football team fell into a 23-point hole to No. 18 ASA College in the first quarter on Sunday at the Aviator Sports and Events Center, but came storming back with 24 straight points to take the lead in the second half. The two teams traded the lead late in the game, but it was the Avengers that came out on top on a last-second field goal, picking up a 36-34 win in Sunday's NJCAA Football Top-20 battle. The Mustangs fall to 6-2 on the year with the loss, while the Avengers improve to 6-2.
 
A long first quarter started with ASA receiving the opening kickoff. The Avengers went on an eight-play, 70-yard drive to open the game, but after the Mustangs held them out of the end zone with goal to go, a 23-yard field goal attempt by Andres Espinoza went wide left, giving Monroe the ball.
 
The Mustangs were unable to get things going on the ensuing drive and were forced to punt it away. On the second play of the next drive, ASA's Johntae McDowell completed a 56-yard catch and run to Kaedin Robinson for the first score of the game, putting the home team on top, 7-0.
 
Monroe's Travis Thomas returned the following kickoff 63 yards, with a facemask penalty tacked on to put the Mustangs on the 16-yard line to start their next possession. It took five plays, but Dominique Shoffner was able to hit Halim Dixon-King for a six-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 7-7 with 8:28 left in the first.
 
The Avengers were in a deep hole on their next drive, facing 3rd-and-14 from their own 21-yard line. McDowell then checked down to running back Stephon Rucker-Carroll on a slip-screen, who then shook off an ankle tackle and was off to the races for a 79-yard score, pushing the Avengers' lead to 14-7.
 
The Mustangs' early struggles began on the following possession. After going three-and-out, the Mustangs tried a punt, but the snap was low and the punter could not get the kick off, resulting in a loss of 13 yards, setting up ASA on Monroe's 17-yard line. Two plays later, Tyquan Brown rushed it in from the goal line to put ASA ahead, 21-7, with 4:29 still remaining in the first quarter.
 
A penalty on the kickoff pinned the Mustangs deep in their own territory, and then a sack on first down left them on their own seven-yard line. After another three-and-out, the snap on the punt attempt was bobbled in the end zone, resulting in a safety for ASA to put the home team ahead, 23-7.
 
The safety punt by the Mustangs resulted in ASA taking over on Monroe's 43. It took just two plays for McDowell to hit Robinson for a 24-yard touchdown reception in the back-right corner of the end zone, leaving the Avengers up, 30-7, with a couple minutes still left in the first quarter.
 
The Mustangs got things cooking on the next drive, using short gains to methodically move the ball up the field. They got a chunk gain on a 20-yard run by Troy Booker to get into plus territory, and later got into the end zone on a 29-yard pass from Shoffner to Lucas Nunez, getting the Mustangs on the board to make it a 30-14 game.
 
Despite a tough roughing the passer penalty that extended ASA's next drive, the Mustangs' defense held strong and forced a punt. The Mustangs were unable to muster up a drive and also had to punt the ball back to ASA. The defense once again held strong, forcing a three-and-out to get the ball back with 7:51 left in the half.
 
Monroe once again was able to put a drive together with short gains and a few big plays sprinkled in. A 27-yard pass to Nunez got the Mustangs up to their own 42-yard line, and then a pair of short passes put the Mustangs over midfield. Shoffner then hit Jevin Frett for 27 yards to get into the red zone. A seven-yard pass to Booker, followed by a six-yard throw to Dixon-King gave the Mustangs 1st-and-goal on the seven-yard line. A pass interference penalty then moved Monroe up to the four. It took until third down, but Shoffner was able to find a hole and dive just over the goal line for a four-yard rushing touchdown to cut the deficit to nine at 30-21 with just 58 seconds left in the half, sending the game to halftime with the same score.
 
Riding a lot of momentum from a big second quarter, the Mustangs received the opening kickoff of the second half. A personal foul penalty on ASA on the first play of the drive immediately moved the Mustangs up to midfield. A sack backed up the Mustangs on, and they eventually faced 3rd-and-14, but Shoffner was able to find Frett up the seam for a 49-yard completion, setting up the Mustangs with 1st-and-goal on the four-yard line. The Mustangs had a tough time punching it in from there, settling for a 21-yard field goal by Idrissa Nikiema to make it a one-score game at 30-24.
 
Monroe's defense came up big on the next possession. On 1st-and-5 from Monroe's 36-yard line, McDowell was picked off by Jeremiah Bryant, giving the Mustangs the ball back with a chance to close the gap.
 
Monroe stuck to its formula, choosing to once again slowly move the ball down the field. Dixon-King was Shoffner's primary target early in the drive, hitting him on three out routes to the left for gains of five, six and seven yards to keep the chains moving. The Mustangs faced 4th-and-2 on ASA's 32, and a pass interference penalty kept the drive alive. A 15-yard completion to Nunez got the Mustangs down to the six, and then Shoffner capped it off with his fifth completion of the drive to Dixon-King, this time a six-yard touchdown pass to put the Mustangs ahead, 31-30, after scoring 24 straight points.
 
For the second straight drive, the Mustang defense took the ball away from the Avengers. With ASA nearing midfield, McDowell lobbed one up under pressure, right into the hands of the waiting Charles Amankwaa, who secured the interception and returned it to Monroe's 43-yard line.
 
Monroe's next drive nearly flipped the momentum of the game. After stalling just across midfield, another bad snap on a punt went sailing over the punter's head for a big loss. An illegal touching penalty on Monroe was tacked on to the end of the play, resulting in the Mustangs losing a total of 44 yards on the play and giving the ball to the Avengers with goal to go. The defense once again stepped up, allowing the Avengers to go just one yard on three plays. Espinoza then made a 22-yard field goal to put ASA back on top, 33-31, with 11:57 left in the fourth quarter.
 
The next two drives resulted in punts for both teams, leading to the Mustangs taking over with 7:24 left in regulation on their own 43-yard line. Booker got things rolling with a 26-yard run on first down. Short gains then led to another first down for Monroe. The Mustangs were down to the 12-yard line with 3rd-and-2, but lost two yards on a run to face fourth down on the 14-yard line. Nikiema then remained perfect on field-goal attempts for the season, this time making a 31-yarder to put Monroe ahead, 34-33, with just 2:16 on the clock.
 
Three-plays in, ASA faced a crucial third down, but McDowell was able to complete a pass to his tailback for a 22-yard game to Monroe's 47. Another big third down saw Rucker-Carroll gain eight yards for another first. The Mustangs then stopped ASA on Monroe's 31 for a 4th-and-6, but a seven-yard completion to Andy Martin narrowly moved the chains once again and got the Avengers closer to field-goal range.
 
McDowell was then able to slip one in to Robinson, who broke a tackle and sprinted for the end zone, but was tripped up by Tim Donnahue at the eight-yard line. Rucker-Carroll rushed it up the middle for four yards, and then McDowell spiked the ball to set up Espinoza for a 21-yard field goal. His kick was good with five seconds left, putting the Avengers back on top, 36-34. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on the Avengers after the kick because of multiple players running onto the field from the sideline, forcing them to kick off from the 20-yard line.
 
A squib kick rolled to Frett at the Monroe 27, where he quickly kneeled it to give the Mustangs a chance to run one more play. Shoffner threw up a Hail Mary, but it was intercepted by Alessio Diana to end the game.
 
Shoffner completed 27-of-47 passes for 279 yards, three touchdowns and the one interception at the end of the game. He also rushed for a touchdown in the game. Booker led the Mustangs' rushing attack with 54 yards on 11 carries.
 
Frett made six receptions for a team-high 104 yards on Sunday. Nunez matched his six receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Dixon-King had a team-high eight receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Donnahue led Monroe with eight total tackles on Sunday. Amankwaa and Bryant each came up with an interception, adding two and one pass breakups, respectively. Nadir Pineda registered a sack for the Mustangs, while Tyrik Carter and Nick Evans each had a tackle for loss. Zharell Walker added seven tackles.
 
Nikiema made field goals from 21 and 31 yards out in the game, and was good on all four of his point-after attempts. He also sent his lone kickoff attempt into the end zone for a touchback. Thomas totaled 120 yards on four kickoff returns, including his 63-yard return in the first quarter.
 
The defense held McDowell to just 12-of-29 passing, including two interceptions, but big plays helped him compile 329 yards. Robinson led the Avengers with 146 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five receptions, while Rucker-Carroll picked up 101 yards and a score on two receptions, adding 31 yards on 10 carries.
 
The Mustangs will look to bounce back in their next game on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Joseph F. Fosina Field in New Rochelle. The Mustangs will host Erie Community College while celebrating First Responder Appreciation Day, where Monroe will honor members of the local fire, police and EMS units. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 12 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).